How to play jazz piano

Female Jazz Pianist

2012-02-02T20:39:00.005+09:00

I was wondering how many female jazz pianist around. I searched You tube with this keyword. There seemed to be a lot, but was not that many. After about an hour research, I concluded that there was not many. And I finally picked three Japanese females. They satisfy the criteria of technicality as well as the perspective of jazz. I have heard Carmen McCrae when I visited Newport Jazz Fes, in 1968,

Too much notes, Mccoy Tyner

2012-01-18T11:29:00.000+09:00

Right, I've never wrote about him, McCoy Tyner. I had a chance to watch his live session sometime in 1970 or 71, and the show was in Village. I cannot recall the name of the place. I remember that my friend told me that we should leave there sooner for its location wasn't safe.Yes, he was playing trio. I was amazed how fast he could play. I had realized that those players known as recording

Do you know a Japanese pop played by Pink Martini?

2012-01-13T11:27:00.003+09:00

This is my favorite Saori, the lady singer who recorded pure Japanese song with Pink Martini lately. It's been a while since I heard this song last time. I got tear comes out pretty hard. I can't guess teh reason. This arrangement itself is rather new. I remember that the original had been played slower. I'm not sure now, it's been long time ago, some 40 years back, you know. 40 years has been a

Americans, how do you think foreignes playing jazz?

2012-01-06T10:34:00.003+09:00

Ever listened to jazz music played by foreigners, you Americans? Being a foreigner I have been wondering for long time what it could be like. We, had encountered a debut of foreigner as the "Enka" signer in 2008. It finally made me understand what it was like. The beautiful music is the music and nothing but the music, that what I've found.There is this Japanese specific category of music called

Milt Jackson or MJQ?

2011-11-10T17:14:00.000+09:00

While listening to this tune, I realized the reason why I didn't like MJQ at the end. The tempo of this tune is rare in their collection. And they do 8 verse here. That is rare as well. Is it? I am not sure now. It's been a while since I listen to them. The last was a session of Milt Jackson in San Fransisco, somewhere around mid 80es. It could have been in Sausalito. Yes, he is much vivid with

C jam blues, played with four hands in Yokohama

2011-10-26T14:00:00.003+09:00

As I repeatedly confess, I cannot get away from 1960es jazz scene. Because it links to my best years with excitement and thrill. One element that constitute the memory is Red Garland trio. Especially C Jam blues.It was my greatest regret that I did not have the chance to listen to him live during my stay in NY, 1967-1972. I have experienced Bill Evans, Tomy Flanagan, Art Tatum, Wynton Kelly,

Movie with jazz, an old story

2011-09-23T10:56:00.002+09:00

I haven't touched anything other than the piano jazz itself. But on the second thought that there were so many things attached to the jazz music, right? Dancing is one, nice dinner of course, and it should go along nicely with your love whisper. There are lots of great movies that are featured in the movie. Or the jazzy version of movie themes that remind me of those beautiful days in my life.

Two "Softly as in a morning Sunrise" from the past

2011-07-12T20:23:00.003+09:00

Softly as in a morning sunrise has been my favorite. See, the face of John? It's rare to see his face with this kind of smile. When could this video be? They all are pretty young and I've never heard this kind of clear recording before. My experiences with MJQ is limited to the LP. No, I went the very first concert in Tokyo. That was, . . . well I cannot be sure though, it could be somewhere

Stardust, Paul Desmond plays clarinet, beautiful

2011-07-02T11:26:00.002+09:00

I've been searching U-tube for some beautiful music. Yes, I wanted to listen to beautiful music because of the incident written below. And found this chorus. There are lots of sentiments for me in this song, Stardust. I started out to learn clarinet. I was in love with Benny Goodman. It was mid 50es, as I started to go to junior high. This is one hell of the difficult tune to improvise and cannot

Two powerful singers from 70es

2011-06-22T18:53:00.004+09:00

Every once in a while, I feel the urge that I should let you know how the Japanese popular songs are. To do that, I sure will try to compare some technicality of it with jazz. If I say the popular, don't forget that I'm an old man. The Jazz is still one of the popular songs for me. So, the popular song can't be one of those anime songs that have been around with those cyber-creatures nonsenses.

Maid dance with Take Five

2011-06-12T15:43:00.003+09:00

We were at the College Jazz Band Contest. It was 1962 or 63, It's 45 years ago. So anyone under 45 hadn't existed at that time. Now you know how old I am. We played "So what" and relaxed as being the audience when one of the other contestants started to play "Take Five".We knew pretty well that the improvisation of it was quite tough. Yes, the rhythm is 5/4. You count five for a bar, which is

Jim Hall and two pianists, Evans and Petruciani

2011-06-02T10:47:00.002+09:00

I haven't known this guy named Petruciani. He plays pretty nice with Jim Hall at this video. And I found that there is amazing resembalance with the recording of Undercurrent that was done with Bill Evans and Jim.Petruciani + Jim Hall : beautiful love.I am pretty sure that the Undercurrent was recorded much earlier than this video, isn't it? Yeah, right. That was 1962. I was 19. Arrogant in every

Jazz piano plyaers of Japanese origin

2011-05-22T14:12:00.002+09:00

I know there are lots of Japanese jazz players active in US jazz scene. Mr. Ozone, is the one and these are the most frequently played pieces at You tube.We are all alone. Simple chord progression, very basic. It sounds nice. Listening to his balad reminds of a discussion we had in college. That was around 1960, Oscar Peterson, Thelonious Monk, Art Blakey, Horace Silver, etc & etc. The best year

Do you listen Radio?

2011-05-12T20:54:00.000+09:00

I do a lot. Basically, I do not want any excessive noise around. I gave my wife to listen her favorite TV with earphone. Right, we are living rabbit burn. We used to live nice house in suburb. As we get older, it became pretty hard to go out for shopping. So we moved into a apartment house that has 25 floors.That's right. It was 2 month ago we were hit by the heaviest earthquake in my life. The

He speaks right on coneption of Jazz

2010-11-12T11:15:00.002+09:00

I did not go to music school. But I have listened lots of jazz and tried to imitate what they were doing. In due course, I have learned how to structure the improvisation line and how far I can go out of chord during improvisation.It's all related to sharpening the sense of your music, I might say. This guy talks on that straight forward. He teaches in a college and admit that.

I felt uncomfortable

2010-07-18T20:21:00.004+09:00

It's Sunday, the holiday. If I am one of internet marketer, there comes Sunday as there is for commuting sales persons. I went out to buy a set of ear piece that was messed up by my angry wife last night.As I walked into the store I have noticed that there were lots of audio CDs, DVDs and such medium. Yes, they carry those at the first floor. Most of the store set portable phone shop at the first

C jam blues, WOW!

2010-06-08T10:07:00.002+09:00

Have you watched this Duke? It Is Amazing. C jam blues in 1942. I was born in 1943. This film is a bit older than I am. It nicely shows how each of the player join the performance and make it whole jam. Another excellent C Jam Blues I remember is the Oscar Peterson and Red Garland. While I was checking if I could find Peterson played C jam, I've found Ella. This is something that I wasn't aware

Where is Miles Davis of 60es?

2010-05-25T20:58:00.000+09:00

I am writing while listening Miles Davis in Muchen in 1987. I never liked Miles of 80es. He seemed to have foget the melody. He went to the rhythm. Well, technically, they are excellent and world class for sure. I'm wondering why he didn't try to integrate the rhythm of 80es with the melody line of his early 60es.Rhythm itself is great though it's boring to listen to the improvisation without

Erroll Garner, the steady beat.

2010-05-19T16:25:00.002+09:00

Hey, this is the Garner style. Tempo is good. I hear a little Bud Powell, don't you? His left hand sure amazes me every time I hear. But Garner wasn't my favorite. If you listen to the second tune, In a mellow Tone, you'll realize why he couldn't be mu favorite. He could fake the melody line but never be the excellent improvisation performer, I'd say.But well, I like his intonation. That appears

Thelonious Monk, ballad: Don't blame me

2010-05-04T16:26:00.002+09:00

Every body knows the quire playing style of Monk, right? I like his play as well as Oscar Peterson. The timing is themselves. But it get bored if you keep listening all the time. For that matter I'd say same thing to Bill Evans.Monk is astonishingly technical sometime. If you check "Straight no chaser", you'll see it. But I love his poetic ballad playing. And this is one of them. See the left

This is nice tutorial to support a singing.

2010-03-15T20:41:00.003+09:00

It is not that easy to go along with singing. My first experience was total disaster. I was playing solo at a bar located near a train station. There were some beauties who might sit next to you to have a little chat with customers. No, that was not a bar where you would find hookers but rather a decent place.That was third or fourth year since I started playing jazz piano. To tell you the truth,

Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane, the Giants

2010-02-24T13:57:00.003+09:00

While I was in NY during late 60es, I have missed to listen two Giants, Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane. John died in 1967. I was too late to be any of the jazz spots at the time, like Village Vanguard, Village Gate, Five Spot and else where I didn't know the existence.I was shocked listening to My favorite Things. That goes on and on for close to 30 minutes, if I remember correctly. If it

Yo Yo Ma, a Tango

2010-02-18T13:46:00.002+09:00

I heard this tune at a rest area of prestigious golf course at the turn of century. I made come back at the very end of the 20th century, well it was year of 2000 I mean.We, I and my friend bought 80 years old company listed at Tokyo Stock exchange. This company had two memberships with this golf course. The course was one of the championship course. "Was", yes, they closed in 2001 and the area

Soothing back ground music, this is

2010-02-04T17:37:00.002+09:00

The sound of piano can be noisy if you are talking to your loved one in a cozy small room. Most of the people doesn't know this. Yes, piano sound does fade away pretty fast as you leave from the instrument. But you can hear a drop of a finger touch at the very back sheet of a big concert hall.I like its sound. That's why I started playing piano. Besides, you won't exhaust your breath playing with

Where we were, Remember? that has passed 30 years now

2010-01-28T19:42:00.003+09:00

I started from Helen Merrill, I mean jazz vocal. Then got into Cris Conner, and what was the other two who were called as the three daughters of that famous band leader?My goodness, my memory is getting worse everyday. Sooner or later I might find difficult to remember own name.Well, the thing is, when I heard Barbara Streisand first time, I was astounded by the high notes she went.She wasn't my